Meet the new Crisis Care Centers Initiative planning team
Cross-posted from Cultivating Connections
In April, more than 56 percent of King County voters approved the Crisis Care Centers levy. This is a generational opportunity to improve the behavioral health system and deliver care to King County residents. The core components of this initative include crisis care, walk-in services, and residential treatment, in addition to strengthening this critical workforce.
King County has brought on three new employees to help lead the implementation process and serve as planning team leads in the next phase of this work. Get to know them here.
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King County first in the nation to order new hybrid fire truck
King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) will be the first airport in the nation to receive a Striker Volterra 6×6 Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) hybrid electric fire engine after finalizing purchase details with Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc. The new rig complements the airport’s existing diesel-powered firefighting vehicles also made by Oshkosh Airport Products and will allow the airport to retire its oldest diesel fire truck.
“Climate change is an urgent global crisis that requires us all to do our part, in ways large and small, to shrink our carbon footprint,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. Read more.
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King County receives Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for support of National Guard and Reserve
King County has been honored with a 2023 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in recognition of its support of National Guard and Reserve members.
Only 15 recipients were selected for the award, which is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to small and large private and public sector employers for their exceptional support of employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve. Read more.
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Focus on values: We are racially just
“We are racially just” is a core value of King County government because to reach our True North – a welcoming community where every person can thrive – we must achieve racial justice. Only by achieving racial justice can we, together, experience the peace, power, and prosperity needed to truly thrive. Watch the video here and below.
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Administrative Professionals Program quarterly recognitions
Do you know an administrative professional you’d like to recognize for the outstanding work they do? The Administrative Professionals Program holds quarterly recognitions for the County’s administrative employees who contribute to the success of every department every day.
The upcoming recognitions will cover April-June, 2023, and will be posted by July 12. To recognize an administrative professional, please fill out the form here by June 30.
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Second Professional Development Scholarship applications under review
The second and final round of completed applications for the 2023 Coalition Labor Agreement’s Professional Development Scholarship Program are currently under review. There are 52 applicants requesting a total of $130,000 in scholarship funds. Awardees for this period will be notified by email no later than July 14, 2023.
The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
Questions? Please visit the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.
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Goat Hill Garage open for LGBTQ+ Pride parade
Plan on participating in the LGBTQ+ Pride parade or watching the festivities? Public transportation is an excellent way to get downtown and avoid the traffic. Check out your options at Metro Trip Planner and Sound Transit.
If public transportation is not an option for you, the Goat Hill Garage, normally closed on weekends, will open on Sunday, June 25 for parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking will be $9 for the general public and $7 for King County employees. The garage is at 415 Sixth Avenue just across the street from the Chinook Building.
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FEMA Public Assistance Program Cost Reimbursement Team receives 2022 Innovation Award for Cost
The Department of Executive Services and Office of Emergency Management – FEMA Public Assistance Program Cost Reimbursement Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for Cost. This award, part of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, is one of the of five Innovation Awards highlighting department teams whose projects, improvements, and ingenuity deliver exceptional, measurable results. “We solve problems” and “We drive for results” are core values at King County, and these award recipients met challenges in creative and impactful ways.
Meet the team and view the award announcement and video here.
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Register now for upcoming retirement classes
Check out the educational opportunities below to help you learn about — and prepare for — retirement.
The following online classes are provided by your King County Retirement Team. For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, read the Retirement Guide, or contact Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator.
Introduction to Social Security — Wednesday, July 12 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Join this 90-minute class if you are interested in learning more about Social Security. Guest speaker Kirk Larson from the Social Security Administration will discuss your options as a King County employee and answer your questions. Register for Introduction to Social Security.
Road to Retirement — Tuesdays, July 18 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; July 25 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; Aug. 22 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; Aug. 29 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
This 90-minute class is designed for employees who are planning to retire from King County in the next six months. It covers procedures, forms, medical coverage options, and pension plans—so you’ll be on a smooth road toward a happy retirement. Register for Road to Retirement.
Medicare 101 — Wednesday, Aug. 9 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
If you are approaching Medicare age and want to learn about your options as a King County employee, then come hear guest speaker Jean Cormier discuss Medicare basics. In addition, Jenny Stark from Regence BlueShield and Hannah Bachelder from Kaiser Permanente will discuss their Medicare Advantage plan options. Register for Medicare 101.
The following virtual education sessions relating to the Deferred Compensation Plan are provided by T. Rowe Price. For more information, go to the Deferred Compensation Plan web page or contact KC Deferred Comp.
Saving for Retirement: Deferred Comp Basics — July 13, 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon
Join this one-hour session to learn the basics of retirement savings, how to use your plan to build a retirement savings strategy and how T. Rowe Price can help you save, invest, and plan for the kind of retirement you want. Register for Deferred Comp Basics.
Roth Topics — Friday, Aug. 11 at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.
During this one-hour class, you’ll learn the difference between Roth contributions and pretax contributions and explore the tax advantages and disadvantages each provides for your retirement savings. Also, understand Roth 457 versus Roth IRA as well as the rules surrounding the distribution of Roth contributions. Register for Roth Topics.
Building a Retirement Investment Strategy — Friday, Aug. 25 at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon
Learn the basics of investing in this one-hour session, including asset allocation, diversification considerations, and when to make adjustments to your 457 Plan account. Register for Building a Retirement Investment Strategy.
Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related.
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Update on the budget process and next steps
Dear employee,
Back in late April, Executive Constantine emailed you about the unavoidable budget cuts facing the County’s General Fund.
As the Executive explained, state law prohibits more than a 1% annual increase in the property tax. When inflation grows, that law prevents us from keeping up with rising costs, and inflation has been as high as 9.5% in recent years.
King County was able to pass a two-year budget last year, and while the overall budget is healthy, it’s based on several funding sources. One key component – the General Fund – faces increased expenses due to inflation and with the projected shortfall in this critical portion of the budget, we must make proposed cuts beginning this year, which will take effect next year.
Some departments are more reliant on the General Fund than others. The General Fund supports a number of expenses required by the state, like operating a jail and the court system, which cannot be cut. That leaves the remainder of the General Fund to face reductions, which can’t be spread out among the General Fund evenly.
The Executive will send a proposed budget to the County Council this fall to make some of these reductions, which will decrease the size of cuts needed in another budget next year. Starting early will allow time for cuts to be phased in, staff to find other jobs where necessary, and clients to find alternatives to our services where available.
I want to emphasize that no decisions have been made yet. Executive Constantine will send his recommendations to the County Council in early October.
The planning instructions agencies received last month included budget goals to meet, and each agency will find the best solution to balance the needs of the people we serve and create the smallest impact on our work, and our colleagues. This could potentially include making reductions or finding savings elsewhere by eliminating open positions or not filling vacant positions. However, it is likely some filled positions will be eliminated next year.
Departments will develop plans that meet their target goals and send those to the budget planners, who will then work on building a proposed budget for the Executive. This budget will not be final until the Council passes it.
I know this can be an anxious time and uncertainty can be stressful. We will continue to support you in your employee experience here at King County. I encourage everyone to work with their supervisors and the HR team to help address any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Dwight Dively, Budget Director
Employee News 